Bed bugs are a common problem that your Tulsa pest control company can help you alleviate. Bed bugs are an insect that attack us in our sleep. They’re blood feeders that feeds specifically on the blood of humans. They can rob you have a good nights rest and the peace of mind of having a home free from bugs. It’s so important that you protect yourself and your loved ones from these vicious parasites. In this article, let’s take a good hard look at bed bugs, their life cycle, and what you and your Tulsa pest control company can do to prevent them from entering your home.

BED BUG HISTORY, AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

We’ve had bed bugs around, almost as long as we’ve been around. There are writings from the Romans that we have found that mention bed bugs. The Greeks also talked about them. Egyptians have inscriptions on their pyramid walls about bed bugs. People from the dark ages even use bed bugs in some of their magical potions. Etymologists believe that the first bed bugs were actually descended from another insect known as the bat bug. This insect looks almost exactly like the bed bug. The only difference between the two insects can be differentiated by an entomologist. Bat bugs feed on the blood of bats. It’s believed that back when we were caveman, we slept at the bottom of caves underneath the bats. A certain group of bat bugs made their way down the sides of the walls and started feeding on humans. That day the bed bug was born.

While these insects have been plaguing us for centuries, we almost eliminated them completely. Back in the 1940s a new miracle pesticide came on the scene. This pesticide is known as DDT. It killed everything. It was so effective that people used it for everything, including situations with bed bugs, they would often douse their beds and sheets with DDT in order to stop these insects from biting them. And it was extremely effective. The problem was, DDT was causing cancer. But before scientists had figured this out and made DDT, an illegal pesticide, the bed bug almost went extinct. Ever since then, bed bugs have been coming back with higher and higher populations every single year. Contact your Tulsa pest control company for help.  

BED BUG BLOOD FEEDERS, AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

These insects are blood feeders. They specifically like our blood. In fact, to get through their lifecycle, they can use no other blood. If they find themselves in a situation, where they have no human blood to feed off of, they will lay dormant in a hidden spot. By not moving they can conserve their energy and last as long as a year. And if another mammal comes across their path, they can bite that mammal in order to regenerate their energy and survive even longer. While the blood of a different mammal can’t provide enough energy to go through their lifecycle, the extension of this dormant state could be enough to survive.

The lifecycle of a bed bug starts as an egg. The egg will hatch and a nymph will emerge. The nymph is a smaller version of the adult bed bug. These nymphs are always a translucent color. After they take their first blood meal, their insides, will be stained that brownish orange color that we often see. As the insect feeds and grows, it will eventually outgrow its exoskeleton. At this point it will molt or shed its exoskeleton. Often, you can find these exoskeletons in the same places where these insects hide. The bed bug will molt five times before it becomes a full grown adult. At this point, the bed bug will seek out a partner to mate with. Contact your Tulsa pest control company for help.

BED BUG REPRODUCTION AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

In the adult stage, bed bugs will reproduce using a mating process known as traumatic insemination. The females do not have an opening in their exoskeleton for sexual contact. Because of this, the male will have to break open the exoskeleton of the female in order to put his reproductive material inside. There’s a dot on the back of the female that the male is supposed to use as a target. While the males are not always successful, as long as he can get this material underneath her exoskeleton, the process will continue. Once the female has mated, she will be impregnated and ready to lay eggs. She will need to feed one more time in order to have the energy to go through the process of laying those eggs. She will find a suitable spot, often between the mattress seams to lay her eggs. 

Mattress seams are a common spot that you’ll find exoskeletons, nymphs, adult bed bugs, and the eggs. Bed bugs love the feeling of having a surface below them and the pressure of a surface above them. This makes them feel safe. Because of this, mattress seams are a common place that they hide. Often you’ll see black and red dots in this area as well. This is caused by the red of the blood that they feed upon that sometimes spills out and the black from the defecation that they will produce. This can be another sign that you have a bed bug problem. Keeping tabs on these kinds of issues is important to keep your loved ones safe. Call your Tulsa pest control company if you’re having issues with bed bugs.

BED BUG ELIMINATION, AND TULSA PEST CONTROL

If you have any problems with bed bugs, or any other insect, then it’s time to call a Tulsa pest control company that you can trust. Here at TermMax pest control we’re the best in the business when it comes to dealing with bed bugs, or any other insects. We service the greater Tulsa area, including Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Turley, Broken Arrow, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Prattville, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, and so much more. Call today for free estimate. We’re here to help!

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